By-pass connection for hydraulic well pumps



Patented Nov. 4, 1952 BY-PASS CONNECTION FOR HYDRAULIC WELL PUMPS William C. Lenz, Wichita Falls,'Tex., assignor to The'Texas Company,NewlYork, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationMarch 15, 1948, 'SerialNo. 15,025

' (Cl. I66-11') .5 Claims. 1

This "invention relates to a by-pass connection for use in hydraulic well pumping systems.

It "is common practice in oil well pumping operations to employ hydraulic pumping systems comprising a pump which is located at the surface of the ground and a subsurface pumping unit which is normally positioned at the bottom of the well 'bore. "The subsurface pumping unit includes a'hydraulic engine or motor and a'well pump which is driven by the motor, the engine in .turn being connected by small power tubing to the pump "at the surface and being actuated by fluid pressure applied thereto by the surface pump. The power tubingwhich supplies :power fluid to the hydraulic engine is disposed more or less concentrically within the well tubing, and the well tubing provides a conduit ior'the fluids "produced from the well along with the exhaust power 'fluid being returned to the surface.

In the operationof pumping equipment of the type described it has been found that upon lowering the subsurface pumping unit in the well and commencing pumping operations, after the subsurface pumping unit has been outof the well for a time, the subsurface pumping unit frequently becomes inoperative due to clogging by solid and semi-solidmaterials such as driedparaffin, dirt, etc. which have accumulated in the power tubing during the time that pumping operations have been suspended or before they were commenced for the first time.

It is an object-of the invention to provide a bypass connection adapted to be installed in the tubing supplying power fluid to the subsurface pumping unit, for use in diverting the flow of power fluid away from the subsurface pumping unit just before commencing'pumping operations in order to remove any foreign materials from the power tubing.

'ItT'is a further object of the invention to provide a by-pass connection of the type described which is adapted to'be renderedinoperative-after the power tubing has been cleaned 'and filled with clean power fluid, without withdrawing the subsurface pumping unit from "the well.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a by-pass connection for the purpose described which is simple and dependable in operation and of rugged construction, and which may be readily installed in the tubing supplying power fluid to the subsurface pumping unit.

The invention will be better understood by referringto the following description and the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. lis a sectional view-in elevation, taken on a median line, of a by-pass connection embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the device of the invention includes a tubular housing I inth'e form of a short section of pipe which is threaded at the ends and adapted to be connected to a section '2 of the tubing supplying power fluid from the surface pump (not shown), and to the upper end "3 of the tubing sub located immediately above the subsurface pumping unit.

A central bore 4 is formed in-an intermediate portion of the housing I, the lower end of the central bore 4 being normally closed as by a threaded plug 5.

A relatively large cavity 6 is formed in the upper end of the'housing -I., the side wall of the cavity 6 being conical, i. e. outwardly flaring, and being joined at its lower end to the upper end of the central bore 4. A circular valve seat I is positionedin the upper end of the central bore 4 immediately below the lower end of the cavity 45. The cavity 6 and the valve seat I are adapted to receive a ball indicated by the dotted circle 8 which may be dropped into the upper end of the power tubing from the surface to close the upper end of the central bore 4, for a purpose which will be described hereinafter.

A plurality of transverse channels 9 is formed in the housing I .and extend outwardly from the central :bore 4 .to the exterior thereof. The channels :9, together with the central bore 4 and the cavity :5, provide passages connecting the inter-ior-of the power tubing section..2 with the exteriorof the housing .I, said passages being normally open but being adapted to be closed by seating of the ball -8 in the valve seat .1.

A plurality of longitudinal channels I0 .is formed in the housing I, the channels I0 being spaced about the'central bore 4 and extending parallel thereto. The channels It) connect the cavity 6 witha circularcavity II which is formed in the lowerendoi the housing I below the lower end of the central bore 4. A frangible disc I2 is inserted at the bottom of the cavity II and is retained therein by the end of the lower tubing section .3 which may form an integral part of the subsurface motor. An annular shoulder I3, which is iormedabout the periphery of the cavity I I, is adapted to be engaged by an annular gasket I4, or lead or the like, the gasket I4being disposed between the shoulder I3 and the upper side of the frangible disc '12. 'Thechannels Ill, together with the cavities 5 and II, provide pas- 3 sages connecting the interior of the tubing section 2 with the interior of the tubing section or motor 3, said passages being normally closed by the frangible disc l2 and being adapted to be opened by the breaking of that disc.

Upon seating the subsurface pumping unit 3a in the bottom of the well and commencing pumping operations, the by-pass connection of the invention will be in operation and fluid moving downwardly thru the power tubing 2 will by-pass the pump thru the passages formed by the central bore 4 and the transverse channels 9. Upon emerging from the housing l the fluid will be returned to the surface of the well thru the annular space between the power tubing 2 and the well tubing (not shown). In this manner any foreign substances such as dirt, particles of paraffln, etc. will be forced from the power tubing which will eventually be filled with clean power fluid. None of these substances, therefore, will reach the subsurface pumping unit 3a. Thereafter the ball 8 may be dropped from the surface thru the power tubing 2 and caused to be seated in the valve seat 1, thus closing the passages formed by the central bore 4 and the transverse channels 9. The passages formed by the longitudinal channels I and the cavity II will at that time be closed, due to the presence of the frangible disc 12, but upon continued application of fluid pressure by the surface pump the frangible disc l2 will be caused to break and the fluid will be admitted to the subsurface pumping unit or motor 3a through the sub 3. The normal operation of the pumping system can then be conducted.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention, as hereinbefore set forth, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described in which a string of power tubing is adapted to conduct fluid under pressure to a fluid utilizing element, means in said power tubing string for temporarily diverting the circulation of power fluid from the element comprising a tubular housing provided with a cavity formed in its upper end, a valve seat positioned in the lower part of the cavity, a channel communicating with the cavity below the valve seat and extending outwardly therefrom to the exterior of the housing, the other end of the housing also being provided with a cavity, a second channel communicating with the first mentioned cavity above the valve seat and connecting the first mentioned cavity with the last mentioned cavity, and frangible means disposed in the last entioned cavity and adapted to close that end of the housing until said means is ruptured by an increase in fluid pressure thereon brought about by the dropping of a ball valve to engage and close said valve seat and said outwardly extending channel.

2. In a device of the character described in which a string of power tubing is adapted to conduct fluid under pressure to a fluid utilizing element, means for temporarily diverting the circulation of power fluid from the element comprising a tubular housing adapted to connect the element with the power tubing, said housing having a cavity formed in its upper end, a valve seat positioned in the lower part of said cavity, a channel communicating with the cavity below the valve seat and extending outwardly therefrom to the exterior of the housing, the lower end of the housing also being provided with a cavity, a second channel communicating with the first mentioned cavity above the valve seat and connecting the first mentioned cavity with the last mentioned cavity, and a frangible member covering and sealing the bottom of the last mentioned cavity until said means is ruptured by an increase in fluid pressure thereon brought about by the dropping of a ball valve to engage and close said valve seat and said outwardly extending channel.

3. In a device of the character described in which a string of power tubing is adapted to conduct fluid under pressure to a fluid utilizing element, means for temporarily diverting the circulating fluid so as to by-pass the element and flush foreign objects from the power tubing comprising a housing adapted to be inserted between the lower end of the power tubing and the element, said housing having an axial bore having an outwardly flaring upper portion and closed at its lower end, a valve seat in said bore at the lower end of said flaring portion, said housing being provided with a cavity below said central bore, a frangible sealing member disposed across the bottom of said cavity, said housing having a lateral passage connecting said bore below the valve seat with the exterior of the housing and a vertical passage leading from the flared portion of said bore to said cavity above the frangible sealing member, the arrangement beingsuch that fluid forced downwardly through said power tub.- ing will pass into said central bore and outwardly through said lateral passage, carrying foreign matter out of the power tubing until said valve seat is subsequently closed after which the fluid passing through said vertical passage builds up pressure in the cavity to rupture the frangible seal, the fluid then passing into the fluid utilizing element.

4. In a device of the character described in which a string of power tubing is adapted to conduct fluid under pressure to a fluid utilizing element, means for temporarily diverting the circulating fluid so as to by-pass the element to flush foreign objects from the power tubing comprising a housing adapted to be inserted in the lower portion of the power tubing, said housing having a longitudinal bore having an enlarged upper portion and closed at its lower end, a valve seat in said bore at the lower end of said enlarged portion, said housing being provided with a cavity below said central bore, a frangible sealing member disposed across the bottom of said cavity, said housing having a lateral passage connecting said bore below the valve seat with the exterior of the housing and a vertical passage leading from the enlarged portion of said bore to said cavity above the frangible sealing member, the arrangement being such that fluid forced downwardly through said power tubing will pass into said central bore and outwardly through said lateral passage, carrying foreign matter out of the power tubing, and means for stopping the flow through said lateral passage comprising a ball adapted to be carried downwardly with the fluid to engage and close said valve seat after which the fluid passing through said vertical passage builds up pressure in the cavity to rupture the frangible seal, the fluid then passing into the fluid utilizing element.

5. In a device of the character described in which a stringof power tubing is adapted to conduct fluid under pressure to a fluid utilizing element, means for temporarily diverting the circulation of power fluid from the element so that foreign particles can be flushed from the power tubing comprising a tubular housing adapted to connect said element to the lower end of the power tubing, said housing having a central bore formed in its intermediate portion, the central bore being open at the top only, said housing also being provided with a cavity formed in its upper end, the side wall of the cavity being conical so as to flare upwardly and being joined at its lower end to the upper end of the central bore, a valve seat positioned in the upper end of the central bore and adapted to receive a ball dropped into the cavity from the surface to close the upper end of the central bore, a plurality of transverse channels communicating with the central bore and extending outwardly therefrom to the exterior of the housing, said housing having a circular cavity formed in its lower end below said central bore, a plurality of longitudinal channels spaced about the REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 7

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 218,052 Neath July 29, 1879 2,191,702 Yowell Feb. 27, 1940 2,194,740 Coberly Mar. 26, 1940 2,196,664 Kofahl "Apr. 9, 1940 2,330,144 Powers -s Sept. 21, 1943 

